Judge Orders Mr. Flynn to Attend Sentencing Hearing



[ad_1]

Flynn's legal team and prosecutors working for special advocate Robert Mueller recently asked to delay Flynn's conviction for two more months. Flynn pleaded guilty in December to lying to investigators and cooperated with the Mueller investigation. While assisting the investigation, prosecutors sought to delay his conviction.

But the judge who oversees the case shows impatience. Judge Emmett Sullivan has ordered everyone to come back for an audition next week, which would be Flynn's first appearance in seven months. Mueller's team could also have a chance to hint that Flynn helped their investigation, which is increasingly targeted by attacks from President Donald Trump and his Republican allies.

In their request for delay, prosecutors also asked the probation officer to prepare a report on Flynn's background and how that fits with the sentencing guidelines. This was a departure from the standard procedure, because this step usually occurs in the winding up of the sentence.

Last week, Sullivan asked the parties why they were pursuing this approach. They first stated that the reason for their maneuvers was simply "because of the status of the Special Advisor's investigation," but that was not enough, according to the judge.

In a filing earlier Monday, Flynn prosecutors and lawyers said would allow an "accelerated sentence", without haste, whenever both parties were ready.

  Another former assistant to Roger Stone summoned to appear in Russia

"Although this case is not ready, the parties have l? intends to request that a hearing be set promptly once the case is ready for sentencing, "the parties said.

In response, Sullivan scheduled a hearing for July 10 with Flynn in attendance. The hearing was scheduled "sua sponte", that is to say without invitation from one or the other party. Sullivan, a person named by former President Bill Clinton, has already approved sentencing deadlines for Flynn.

Months before Flynn signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors, his lawyers said he "certainly had a story to tell, and he really wants to say it". But Flynn has hardly heard from him since he went to federal court in Washington to plead guilty in December.

  Investigators detail the money Manafort of Ukrainian corruption, the Russian oligarch

In this plea, Flynn admits to having lied to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the critical months between the election of 2016 and the US. investiture of Trump. The controversy surrounding these calls was a key factor in Flynn's resignation from his leading position at the White House after just two weeks of work.

Mueller filed a lawsuit against 20 people and three companies as part of his investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US elections and whether anyone from the Trump campaign was involved. Most of the charges are against Russians accused of leading a troll farm that spread political propaganda in the United States. Flynn is one of Trump's four associates to face charges, though no one has been accused of complicity with Russia.

CNN's Laura Jarrett contributed to this story.

[ad_2]
Source link